I have been climbing the Seven Summits at the rate of one a year since 2003, trying to balance this personal quest with my obligations to family and work. I have dreamt of climbing Everest since I can first remember, and that dream morphed to include the highest mountain on each continent. The attraction of frozen digits, howling winds and inedible food eludes many, but to me the draw is that that such adventure and challenge is still available in modern times. These are not the hardest mountains to climb in the world, but they are probably the most diverse. I kicked off climbing Kilimanjaro in early 2004 with my father,then Aconcagua in late 2004, before attempting Everest in 2005, only to be blown off the mountain. I picked up the mantel again in 2006, climbing Elbrus with my father, then Denali in 2007, then Carstensz Pyramid in 2008, and Mt Vinson in 2009/10. Each of these mountains were unique – the daily change in flora on Kili, the shale of Aconcagua, the vodka on Elbrus, missing the birth of my son who was 6 weeks early on Denali, the native tribes around Carstensz, the untouched desolation of Vinson. I could write a book on each. And now it is back to Everest for the final chapter.

I would like to raise money for Room to Read so that others can benefit from my endeavors, as opposed to just my family/work suffering. What attracted me to RtR was that 87% of the money raised goes to children’s education. Being born in Africa and having seen the amount of money wasted by NGO’s on Land Rovers and the like across the continent, it was heartening to find a charity that doesn’t waste money. I have also taken a mercenary view that providing food to hungry people is not sustainable – teach a person how to fish. These two views are embodied in RtR’s philosophy. I would like to raise money to build a school in Nepal as there is a need and that is where I will be climbing, and for RtR South Africa which will be re-launching their programs in 2012, as that is where I am from. I hope that you will support these causes with me and my family.